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Toby's Tightrope
Britt Allcroft & David Mitton |narrator= Michael Angelis George Carlin |series=Series 3 |series_no=3.15 |number=67 |sts_episode=Do I Hear |released= * 25 December 1991 * 5 May 1992 * 21 July 1992 * 5 March 1993 * 25 May 1998 * 14 May 2008 |previous=Mavis |next=Edward, Trevor and the Really Useful Party}} Toby's Tightrope is the fifteenth episode of the third series. It is based on the story of the same name from Tramway Engines. Plot Percy arrives at the quarry to pick up stone for his trucks. The only other engine in the quarry at the moment is Mavis who is sheltering between rocks looking miserable. Percy tells the young diesel to cheer up, but she explains that her manager found out about her going down Toby's line and causing trouble and has confined her to the quarry. She calls Toby a fusspot again, angering Percy who tells her that Toby knows a lot about trucks and that they must be left where he wants them. Percy then leaves to take his trucks to the harbour. Although Mavis likes Percy, she still does not understand why she cannot go down the line. The siding arrangements at the quarry are very awkward and Mavis is forced to make several journeys to put the trucks in the correct place. Mavis is desperate to leave the quarry and makes a plan. She starts by telling her driver the work would be a lot easier if she could use a small part of Toby's line. Her driver, suspecting nothing, agrees and allows her to go as far as the first level crossing. The weather changes, with the snow and ice melting away. This causes an increase in work and Mavis takes trains that can be so long that she has to go beyond the level crossing. She decides to go ahead with her plan to go further down the line without making it look like her fault and asks the trucks to bump her at the level crossing. The trucks agree; however, things go wrong when Toby arrives while she is gone and decides to shunt them himself. The trucks decide to bump Toby instead and when Toby reaches the level crossing the trucks push him down the line. Melted ice and snow had caused the river on Toby's line to become a torrent and it washes away a crumbling wooden bridge after a log collides with it but leaves the rails behind which form a tightrope across the abyss. Toby's driver fights for control and by the time Toby is finally able to stop, he is on the "tightrope" precariously above the water, ready to fall any second as more pieces of the bridge crumble into the torrent. When Mavis hears what has happened, she is horrified and immediately goes to help. Toby is anchored to some rocks with chains as Mavis takes away the trucks. Eventually she is able to pull Toby to safety and later apologises about what happened with the trucks. Toby thanks Mavis, telling her that he does not fancy walking any tightropes again. The Fat Controller sees Mavis later and congratulates her for doing well in an emergency. Mavis admits she was responsible for the trucks' behaviour but asks if she can still use Toby's line as Toby has offered to show her what to do. The Fat Controller agrees on the condition Mavis' manager allows her to, which he does. Mavis is now happier than ever and is considered to be a really useful engine. Characters * Percy * Toby * Mavis * Troublesome Trucks * Sir Topham Hatt * Anopha Quarry Manager Locations * Tidmouth Hault * Anopha Quarry * Ffarquhar River Bridge * The Quarry Tramroad * Knapford Harbour Trivia * This is one of the few third series episodes to use the train brake sound effect from the 20th Century Fox Film sound effects library. * Both this episode and its previous episode aired on Christmas Day 1991 in the United States. * In the later UK version, the music is more faint when Mavis pulled the trucks away and rescues Toby. Goofs * Michael Angelis' first narration of this episode and George Carlin's refers to the chains as ropes. * When Toby backs down onto the trucks, his eyes are wonky. * In the restored version, a crew member's hand can be seen pushing the trucks when they surge against Toby. * In a photographic still, Toby's driver is smiling when Toby is being bumped by the trucks. * Percy's roof is lifted when he leaves the quarry. * When Mavis pulls Toby to safety, there are chains fastened to her cowcatchers. In the next shot, the chains that are fastened to her cowcatchers disappear and are replaced by a single chain fastened to Mavis' front coupling. The chains fastened to both her front coupling and cowcatchers all appear in the next shot. * When Mavis leaves her trucks, there are ten of them, but when Toby arrives, there are only seven. When the trucks are pushing Toby, there are only five. * In the beginning of the episode, some studio equipment is visible at the top of the screen. Merchandise * Books - Toby in Trouble * Buzz Books - Toby's Tightrope * My Thomas Story Library - Mavis In Other Languages Home Media Releases * Thomas' Train and 17 other stories * Chases, Races and Runaways * My Little Thomas and Toby Adventures * The Complete Series 3 DVD Boxsets * Classic Collection WAL * Thomas the Tank Engine: Bumper Special 1 US * Trust Thomas and Other Stories * Thomas and Bertie's Great Race and Other Adventures * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 3 VHS/DVD Packs * Special Video Collector's Set * Trust Thomas and Other Stories/A Big Day for Thomas Double Feature * On-the-Go Pack * Totally Thomas Volume 6 AUS * Trust Thomas and Other Stories * The Complete Series 3 * My First Thomas with Toby and Edward DVD Boxsets * Complete Series 1-10 * Classic Collection * Series Three and Series Four Double Pack NZ * Bumper Video Collection Volume 4 JPN * Thomas the Tank Engine Volume 15 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.8 * Toby and Edward the Little Engines * Fun Stories Popped Out from Picture Book * The Complete DVD Box 1 GR * The Twin Engines Were Confused! DVD Boxsets * 3 DVD Boxset 2 GER * Lots of Little Helpers DVD Boxsets * Thomas and His Friends Box Set 2 DK * The Great Escape and Other Stories NOR * Edward, Trevor and the Useful Party * The Old Coach * Songs and Tales FIN * Edward, Trevor and the Useful Party NL * Rely on Thomas * The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Edward, Toby and the Diesels UKR * A Train Thomas and Friends MYS * Toby's Tightrope and Other Thomas Adventures * Donald's Duck and Other Adventures ITA * Locomotive in Trouble SVN * Henry's Forest SER * Thomas the Tank Engine 6 CHN * Thomas and Friends Season 1-4 HK * Thomas and Friends Volume 7 * Thomas and Friends Volume 6 THA * Thomas and Friends - Volume 10 }} de:Toby in Gefahr es:Toby en la Cuerda Floja he:החבל המתוח של טובי ja:トビーのつなわたり pl:Jazda po Linie Tobika ru:Тоби на канате Category:Series 3 episodes Category:Episodes Category:Direct-to-Home Video Category:Railway Series adaptations